The class blog for a section of Literature and the Contemporary, a literature and writing class offered at the University of Pittsburgh.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Final Revision

Luis Rodriguez

Final Revision

Lit and Contemporary

4/25/11

The Nazca Knowledge

January 1, 1948,
It is a hazy day –
To whom ever this may concern, my name is Maria Reiche and I am German born mathematician/Geologist who has been living in Nazca Peru for the past eight years: Studying, discovering, and interpreting ancient works of art, that until now, was shared along side my mentor/inspiratory; professor Dr. Paul Kosok. Unfortunately however, he is no longer able to be here anymore due to old age and apparent mental state – I suppose he found it urgent and proper to return home to enjoy his remaining years. However, before he left, as he was being wheeled onto a rusty two-person passenger plane, he stopped, looked back, and said, “Do not Return Maria… we have done it all before… Escape at four… Use your mind to See and to never become falsely blind. Become truthfully Blind– for then you will See and escape…” He then reached into his shallow coat pocket and pulled out a book while conveying, “Take this book Maria, perhaps it will guide and enlighten you.” Parkinson-like, he hands me the book; a book that he says holds a collection of outlines from our personal time about/throughout our stay in Nazca: Or so he says, I have yet to open it . . . I am powerful, aware, willing, confident, and strong.
…
He weakly borads and departs into the hazy and darkening sky.
…
Nevertheless, I have found it almost unbearable and dreadful at times to just stop my explorations at his mere seemingly unjustifiable and delusional request: I feel that I must continue, no, I feel that I must unwaveringly continue! My yearn for knowledge must go forth unyieldingly to ascertain something more about one peculiar study of ours – the study of The Nazca Lines: A series of colossal carvings made into the earth. Be it for trivial or Celestial reasons, I feel I must know and explore more!
…
Ugh! But wait, what did he mean, “we’ve done it all before…escape at Four”? Ah, never mind.
…
January 2, 1948
It is an overcast day –
I am alone for the first day in eight years: By myself, I attempt to press on with my work. Non-healing to my professor’s forewarning, I shall, damn! I forgot that all of the connections we knew in town were solely through the Dr.: How am I supposed to get to the Nazca Lines or discover any new ones without any transportation!? Plus, I know I’ve never spoken a lick of Spanish to anyone in these surrounding towns before, but perhaps there’ll be something useful about transportation in the professors book? I mean – he did say it would “guide me”.
…
I open the book,
Page 1 –
“For the transportation and viewing of the Nazca Lines, please call Peruvian Air Force Pilot: Ángel de la Muerte – (522) 974 – 6847” [1]
…
Ah perfect! But why would he give me a, I mean his! Book that leads me right and easily too the viewing of the ancient Lines… Unless he wanted me to go?
…
Or maybe it's a trick!? Nah
…
January 3, 1948
It is a rainy Day–
I dial (522) 974 – 6847. Rinnng… rinnng… rinnnng…
…
come on…
…
Muerte: Hola?
Reiche: Hola, Mi nombre es María Reiche y soy socio con del Dr. Kosok
Muerte: Ah, sí! ¿Cómo puedo ayudarle?
Reiche: Me preguntaba si sería capaz de llevarme para un vuelo alrededor
de las Líneas de Nazca de nuevo hoy?
Muerte: ¡Por supuesto! no hay problema. Nos vemos aquí mañana en la pista de aterrizajeal mediodía para despegar.
Reiche: ¿En serio? ¡Muchas gracias! Te veré entonces [2]
…
January 4, 1948
It is a stormy day –
Yes! I have a ride today. It’s 11:55am and I am just about to board Angel’s plane: A little rusty old thing – but still gets the job done. Hola Senorita Reiche! Hola Senor Muerte! We both board the plane, strapped into our old beat up leather seats and take off into the storm. Finally! (I think to myself) It’s about Time; a sigh of relief.
…
Thirty minutes later – We are here: I unstrap myself to get a better view from the plane… Ah… The only and last uncharted Nazca Line we, I mean I, have yet to explore – The Monkey. [3] Professor claims to have been there before.
…
For some reason, I begin to feel dizzy and acquire a sort of vertigo-like headache; but nonetheless, I must discernibly continue my examination.
…
I inspect it in its complexity of creation not only in its magnitude, but also in its attention to detail and precessional carvings. A Spiral tale, nine fingers, a line coming from the genital area, a slender outline of the whole body, and a pair of bent arms/legs. Is there a deeper meaning to all this?
…
However, out of everything, I am drawn to its spiral tail and nine fingers the most: Is there something even more to these???
…
I request Muerte to land at once. We land. I say my goodbyes and thank him for his ever too kind and surprising willingness to bring me here to my final exploration and destination.
Reiche: Adiós Senor Muerte y muchas gracias!
Muerte: Adios Senorita Reiche y buena suerte!
…
He sets off into the omniscient sky
...
I make camp at the left hand of the monkey: The five fingers. I am powerful, aware, willing, and confident. I am sheltered from the rain.
…
January 5, 1948
It is wet–
Today is my first day exploring this ancient geoglyph: The Monkey. I ask myself, is this of art, boredom, or just pure superiority and supremeness; we shall soon Know. I hope.
…
I make my way through the bent fingers and arms, looking to the sky at night to see if there may be some celestial meaning behind these shallow earth carvings… Could they be signs from above? For others, I mean before our time and even past, to use as guides in finding this specific destination? But why? And why a monkey? Is it, but mere w;t that celestial beings, if they do indeed exist, could have merely made these creations as a joke: For whomever, like myself, to be idiotic enough to come here and search for a deeper meaning? A simple, yet colossal ancient joke about evolution – “The Monkey”; while they, the possible Creators, could have a greatly vaster knowledge that there is no… God. I hope I Find or Figure out something… Enlighten me please! I am ready to Know!
...
Confused and in need of another answer – I take the professors book out of my leather worn backpack and look for some kind of rationalization. Any rationalization.
…
Reading over the professor’s notes, flipping page after page, there seems to be no direct explanation for the mysteries behind this particular carving … I grasp this as a bit troubling and misleading, because for every other geoglyph, the professor has compiled detailed chapters outlining any meaning that may come with any said individual carving. But as for this one – The Monkey: merely just a single page (page 33 – [4]). This page was filled with concentric spirals that filled it and its entirety: Dwindling down to an inescapable complete darkness within. An endless connection between darkness and earth – Spirals.
…
I stay up all night pondering this drawing: Twisting it in circles – I am mesmerized. It is almost midnight when all of a sudden, aha! These spirals represent the Tail! But why just the tail? I knew there had to be something more behind it. How couldn’t I have seen this before!? Idiot!
…
Relieved and feeling a little sense of self-embarrassment/accomplishment – I sleep in peace.
…
January 6, 1948
It is cold –
I wake up freezing, the book clenched in my skin-cracked hands: The day begins. I situate myself, decided on my plans for the remaining exploration and set off: Straight to the Tail – I suppose there must not be much meaning in the other appendages… except for maybe the Four fingers? Ah… I’ll just come back to it at another time.
…
I reach the tail right before three: A beautiful spiral from the sky, but merely a thin carving of dusty rocks and pebbles from down here. Shallow Earth
…
I start my journey
…
I look at my watch: It’s 3pm – that’s one loop. I am willing.
…
I look at my watch: It’s 3:15pm – I think that was two. I am determined.
…
I look at my watch: It’s 9pm – that should have been... I should have been there a long time ago. Am I hallucinating?
…
I look at my watch: It’s 12am – why aren’t I there yet!? I am lost!
…
I look at my watch: It has stopped: Time has stopped… where am I? I am.. Marisa? Meghan? Ma… ma…?
…
[4]… I am dizzy
…
_ _ _ _ _ _, 1948?
It is… –
I think I am here: The End of the Tail. I feel nothing, yet I feel everything. I do feel like I have been here before; perhaps the professor was right? What was his name again? How long have I been… here? Why is my memory fading me so? I look down at my hands: Wrinkled and worn - I am older.
…
What is happening to me!?
…
I feel so weak… Like I need to be in a wheelchair… I step once more… I have reached the middle, Finally! Shit!
…
I fall: I do not scream. I am comfortable.
…
mm/dd/yyyy
it is… –
I have been falling what seems forever; be it seconds, hours, or days – I cannot tell. I feel myself becoming more aware with each and every passing moment (however long that may actually be) and recognizing that I myself is the only one to blame for this misfortune: I didn’t listen to the Professor’s warning about staying away. Why didn’t I listen? However, even though I may have not listened, I do not understand why he believes we have been here before? But wait! “escape at Four” does that have anything to do with the four fingers of the monkey? But what? And how am I now supposed to escape when I have been falling to my imminent demise in this Circle of… Circle of… Circle of Death? Just like on page 33. [4]
…
I think I See a light
…
Yes, it is a light! It’s so bright and beautiful
….
Air begins to rush pass my face and the space around me becomes illuminated
…
I am Enlightened! I can See! I am Aware! I bet the professor must have escaped right before stepping foot into the center: This must explain his sudden deterioration in health and age: Of course!
…
Therefore, this is not a Circle of Death, but rather… one of Life
…
I am falling from the sky… I see all the beautiful geoglyphs…ah, the fresh air whisping by my face... I see The Monkey… I am back… My descent slows and I land softly on the Four Fingered hand: The right hand of G.. The Monkey.
…
I black out
…
I wake up soon after, on a warm layer of rock and sand: I am at the Four Fingers – I am back
…
Wait, the four fingers? Didn’t the Professor say something about this? Explain, encourage, ah! Start Exploring at The Four Fingers that’s it! It couldn’t have been anything else. Besides, that had to be right because as I turned to the Chapter, or rather page, about The Monkey in the professor's book, I came across this seemingly pointless scribble of a spiral: perhaps he was just bored? [4]
…
I flip the page for the first time
…
In the very top right corner, in black ink, there is a passage quoted from a book that was read to me when I was a child back home in Germany: It was from Gold and Gods of Peru by Hans Haumann. It said, “…Four Fingers – a distinct and direct representation of a unique Peruvian God…Rebirth” (28) and that was all
…
Does this explain how I got here then? Was I reborn? I’m I here for a purpose? Does it mean this is the Right Hand of God? It must be! Beautiful
…
Must I continue with my exploration though? I must, I should, I will! Why else would I have been brought back? There must be something more that I must know! I am powerful, aware, willing, confident, and strong… I set off…
...
I reach the tail: I am powerful, aware, willing, and confident
…
I take one loop: I am powerful, aware, and willing
…
I take two loops: I am powerful and aware
…
I take three loops: I am powerful
…
I reach the center: I am… weak... old
…
I fall
…
I am Aware again: Just a little more than last
…
Will I ever have the will and strength to leave after being “reborn back to the hand of god”? Or will I have to press on? Continuing my endless cycle delving into the tail of life and death? Yearning for something more, yearning for an unquenchable thirst of knowledge: Gaining a bit more each time – but unable to ever escape. Is it worth it? I wonder how many times the professor had to fall? Oh the unfairness.
…
I wake up soon after, on a warm layer of rock and sand: I am at the Four Fingers… I set off… I reach the tail…weak... old... Shit!

[2]:
Death: Hello?
Reiche: Hello, My name is Maria Reiche and I am partners with Dr. Kosok
Death: Ah, yes! How can I help?
Reiche: I was wondering if I could take a flight around the
Nazca Lines again today?
Death: Of course! no problem. I will see you here tomorrow at noon on the runway for takeoff.
Reiche: Really? Thank you! I will see you then.